RESIDENCE PERMIT IN ROMANIA
In recent years, Romania has been considered a quite attractive country for immigration, especially among citizens of post-Soviet countries, such as Ukraine. Despite the fact that the Romanian population has a lower standard of living compared to developed European countries, there are reasonable preconditions for the growth of Romanians' welfare, including effective government reforms and stable economic development.
To move to Romania for a period of more than 3 months, foreigners from third countries (from outside the EU) need to apply for a long-term visa in advance and obtain a residence permit upon arrival. Accordingly, there must be specific grounds for this. Most often foreigners get a residence permit in Romania for employment, business, education and family reunification. More about this will be discussed later in the article.
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How to get a residence permit in Romania
The procedure for obtaining a residence permit in Romania for third-country nationals actually begins before the move. Unlike residents of EU countries, who have the right to freely stay on Romanian territory for a certain period of time, the above-mentioned category of foreigners must open a long-term visa in the Consulate of Romania in their country. Already at this stage, a list of documentation is prepared, the lion's share of which will be needed later to obtain a residence permit.
Long-term visa (type D) allows you to stay in Romania for 90 days, after which no later than one month before the expiration of the document, the foreigner applies to the Immigration Department of the local Ministry of Interior at the place of residence in order to extend the visa or obtain a residence permit. Romanian laws stipulate the following reasons for issuing a long-term visa, allowing the issuance of a residence permit:
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Family reunification.
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Official employment.
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Study and research activities.
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Business and investment.
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Humanitarian reasons (refugee) and religious activities.
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Other grounds. In some cases, a residence permit in Romania is issued for long-term treatment in Romanian medical institutions, managers of local companies and volunteers.
Important. Buying real estate in Romania does not automatically allow you to obtain a residence permit.
In each individual case, the requirements for applicants, conditions and terms for which a residence permit is granted may differ. Usually the residence permit in Romania is initially issued for one year with the right to extend. After 5 years of uninterrupted residence in the country, it is allowed to apply for permanent residence in Romania. Continuous stay is counted if the foreigner has not left the Romanian territory for 6 consecutive months, and the total absence should not exceed 10 months.
Permanent residence in Romania is granted for 5 years or for 10 years at once, if there is a marriage relationship with the holder of the Romanian passport. Foreigners temporarily residing in the country for the purpose of study or for humanitarian reasons are not entitled to obtain permanent status. For registration of citizenship of Romania it is necessary to live in the country for at least 8 years, and in case of marriage with a Romanian citizen the term is reduced to 5 years. The documents for a residence permit, which are submitted to the Immigration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Romania, differ depending on the situation, but the basic list can be outlined.
Documents for residence permit in Romania
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Application form.
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A valid passport (original and a copy).
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Medical insurance.
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Certificate of absence of a criminal record.
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Documentary proof of the place of residence in Romania (ownership or lease).
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Certificate from a medical institution about the absence of serious illnesses.
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Information about the availability of sufficient funds to cover living expenses in Romania, based on the average wage in the country after deduction of taxes (at least 750 euros per month).
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Confirmation of the right to obtain a residence permit in Romania. The requirements are different in each case.
More detailed official information about the process of issuing a residence permit in Romania, including conditions, documents and requirements for foreigners, is available on the website of the Romanian General Inspectorate for Immigration – igi.mai.gov.ro.
Grounds for obtaining a residence permit in Romania
Residence permit in Romania for the purpose of family reunification
Foreigners who are temporarily or permanently residing in Romania, i.e. the residence permit does not expire for at least another year, have the right to take close family members with them. In some cases, for example, if the residence permit is issued for research activities or on the basis of the EU Blue Card, the mandatory one-year validity period is not required. Who can obtain a residence permit in Romania for family reunification.
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Spouses.
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Minor children, including adopted children.
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Parents, provided there is no means of subsistence in their country.
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Adult children, in case of inability to live independently due to illness.
The documents are examined for no more than 3 months, after which a positive or negative decision is taken. For foreign spouses of Romanian citizens, the procedure for obtaining a residence permit in Romania is significantly simplified. For example, you do not need permission from the Department of Immigration, you can immediately apply to the diplomatic department for a long-term visa.
Residence permit in Romania for employment purposes
Romanian laws provide a wide range of work permits for foreign applicants. For example, separate categories include temporary, permanent and seasonal employment, as well as qualified professionals, athletes, trainees and company managers. In each case, a prerequisite for the issuance of a work permit and the subsequent obtaining of a residence permit is a preliminary search for a vacancy in Romania.
You will have to compete not only with Romanians, but also with EU citizens. In addition, the local government sets special annual quotas for foreign workers. In most cases, sufficient qualifications, education and Romanian language skills will be required. After taxes, average salaries in Romania in 2023 are around 865 euros per month. Higher chances of finding a job are the owners of technical professions – builders, engineers and IT-specialists.
Residence permit in Romania for business or investment purposes
Business immigration to Romania, which will allow you to obtain a residence permit, requires a foreign entrepreneur to fulfill a number of conditions. First of all, it is necessary to open a company in which the candidate for residence permit will be a shareholder or manager, and get approval from the Center for Trade Promotion and Foreign Investment in Romania. As a rule, the quality of the business plan and the future effect on the local economy are taken into account.
The minimum investment amount should be from 100 thousand euros, and it is also required to create at least 10 jobs. The average time to register a business in Romania is about 1-2 weeks. Tax rates have been decreasing or remaining unchanged in recent years. For example, the corporate income tax rate in Romania in 2023 – 16%, VAT – 19%.
Residence permit in Romania for the purpose of study
Studying at universities in Romania implies the issuance of a residence permit to a foreign student. The average cost of education in local universities varies from 2 to 5 thousand euros per year, depending on the program. To open a visa it is necessary to pay for the first academic year in full, as well as to provide evidence of funds for living in Romania. At least 500 euros per month is required. Usually Romanian students have enough for this amount. At least it will be enough for accommodation and food.
